A Summer Rain
by soob
Summary: When Misaki vanishes, Usagi-san becomes a wounded animal. Vulnerable. More dangerous. He’d do anything to find that boy. Stop at nothing. “You have three days” The caller said. “He’s safe for now.”
1. Chapter One - Why?

He didn't come home that night. Akihiko's carefully prepared meal sat uneaten — after hours spent poring over one of Misaki's cookbooks, to surprise him. He paced the room, lit cigarette between his lips. If he hadn't promised Misaki that he'd grant him more freedom, Akihiko would be out searching for him. The worry in his chest doubled with every tick of the clock. He hadn't called. _Why hadn't he called?_

Akihiko's heart fluttered — footsteps. The author launched himself towards the door before wrenching it open. There, looking quite perplexed, stood Aikawa-san. His editor blinked her watery blue eyes. "Is everything okay, sensei?" She asked, putting a hand on one of his stiff shoulders. Akihiko seemed to deflate, energy lost. "I don't know where he is." He responded, taking a seat on the plush couch beside Suzuki-san. The bear's black eyes seemed to shine. Aikawa glanced from the meal to the kitchen - where Akihiko had caused chaos, stained pots and pans stacked haphazardly on the countertop.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon, sensei. An argument over mess is never a long one." She said wisely, inspecting the charred remains of Usagi's fish stuck to a frying pan. "We didn't argue. He just hasn't come home." He muttered, tossing his cigarette into the ashtray. Aikawa looked up, surprised. "But it's so late?" She would've expected the great Usami Akihiko to be hunting down his lover by now. "I thought I should give him more freedom." He said begrudgingly. Usagi didn't want to be the villain, always forcing his love on Misaki. He thought that if he gave the boy space, Misaki would run to him of his own volition.

 _Maybe I was wrong. All this time, he felt trapped, hemmed in by a man he didn't love._

The thought seemed to form on Akihiko's face like a thundercloud. Aikawa, looking alarmed, pulled out her cellphone. "I already tried texting him" Usagi said softly, lighting yet another cigarette. His editor shook her head, thinking back to the days of Takahiro. Akihiko would often revert to his teen self during times of particular pining. He wouldn't eat, sleep or even write. If Aikawa knew anything, it was that she couldn't afford the heartbreak of a teenager on her hands.

Usagi flopped onto Suzuki-san, as though for comfort. "Okay." She said, snapping her phone shut. "Okay." Aikawa-san walked from one side of the room to the other. And back again. She bit her lip. Misaki wouldn't have left. _Maybe he went out drinking? Maybe he told sensei where he was going this morning - but because sensei's..._

Akihiko's phone buzzed against the glass of the coffee table. She darted to snatch it up before him. Caller ID unknown. "Hello?" She said slowly, backing away from a now upright Usagi-san.

 **"You have three days."** The caller croaked.

Aikawa-san froze, letting him take the phone from her. He swallowed, something was wrong. "Who is this?" Akihiko questioned, his brow furrowing whilst the blood drained from Aikawa Eri's face.

 **"All I can say is your little plaything is safe - for now."**

The dial tone hung in the air for a long time. Aikawa's mind flooded with questions whereas his had gone blank. "They have Misaki?" She quavered, lips trembling. Akihiko didn't speak. His jaw clenched.

"We have to call someone..." She concluded, the panic rising in her voice. "We have to call the police!" Aikawa pulled out her phone for the second time. Akihiko shook his head. "No, stay here." He commanded with such an authority she felt herself dropping the cell altogether. "Call Isaka, he knows how to trace calls." The author instructed, tossing the lit cigarette behind his shoulder as he made for the door. Aikawa reached for it before the whole penthouse went up in flames.

"Where are you going?" She yelped, as he ripped a coat from the stand beside the door. In his haste it came crashing to the ground at her feet. "Gathering information, of course." Akihiko replied, a far-off look in his stormy eyes.

The apartment rang quietly and the only sound seemed to be the absence of one. Aikawa whimpered. Her legs wobbled and she sank to the floor. _Why, oh why would someone want to hurt Misaki?_

Slowly, she dialled Isaka Ryuichiro's number.


	2. Chapter Two - Who?

The bitter night air numbed his hands, making everything painful to the touch. Usami Akihiko's eyes narrowed, colder than the wind lifting his hair. He'd stopped on an abandoned stretch of road on the outskirts of the city. The glow of his burner cellphone half- illuminating his features to any passing cars, not that there seemed to be many. Usagi-san waited as it rung out, tinny and small in the vast night. Eventually — "Akihiko." His father's voice said silkily, as though he'd always expected him to call. "Father." He replied stiffly, eyes on the abandoned factories and dilapidated warehouses lining the opposite side of the road.

"I don't have him, you know." Fuyuhiko mentioned in a casual voice, as though discussing the weather. Akihiko's eyes widened, fist clenched around his car keys. The wind whipped through him, leaving an ache in his bones. Fuyuhiko chuckled "Ryuichiro told me, of course." The old man whistled to himself, twirling a fountain pen in his fingers. The screen before him showed his son, shoulders hunched and scowling as he ended the call. "As though I don't have eyes everywhere." Fuyuhiko said, shaking his head in amusement.

Aikawa-san shuffled impatiently, the elevator seeming to take twice it's usual time to arrive on her floor. The literature editing department being the top floor, Eri was accustomed to waiting impatiently, almost always working on a tight deadline. She bustled out of the doors the second they opened - nearly bumping headlong into Kyo Ijuuin, Misaki's favourite mangaka. "Oh, my apologies sensei!" She said, stepping back from the man. To her relief he was smiling good naturedly. "It's so nice to see you again, Aikawa-san." Ijuuin remarked cheerfully. "I don't think I've seen much of you since the interview with Usami sensei." The mangaka reflected, almost nostalgically. Aikawa forced a smile and nodded "I'm sorry, i've just seen the time. I really have to run." She told him quickly, bowing apologetically. He grinned "not to worry, I hear Isaka's a difficult man to catch a meeting with."

Ijuuin Kyo waved goodbye until the elevator doors separated the two of them. Aikawa sighed, remembered herself, and dashed down the corridor only to collide with the very man she'd been heading to see. "Ah, I see you've brought me the manuscript at last." Isaka said loudly, for the benefit of the stray office workers huddled by the vending machines. "So sorry about the delay, sir, it's just sensei is in another one of his ruts." Aikawa-san answered cordially, as she had done many times before. The file she handed him consisted of two magazines Eri had found on the floor of her car and the cellphone "the caller" had rung.

"I'll look this over immediately." Ryuichiro winked, turning on his heel to leave. The cluster of editors exchanged glances as she made her way back to the elevator. "You can't seriously think they're dating Shizuko, she's in love with Ijuuin Kyo!" One of them hissed, loud enough to catch Aikawa's attention. "What about Usami Akihiko? He's dreamy..." Shizuko mused.

"Its just like shoujo manga" Another murmured, almost wistfully.

Aikawa-san frowned as the women tittered. How can they be so entertained by my love life? Her eyes prickled with tears that she furiously swiped away. Eri didn't know what to do now. She had done her part.

Akihiko waited, and waited. Until finally all of the lights in the traditional one-story house were extinguished. That's when he used the key he'd found under a nearby plant pot. The building was silent, despite a hammering in Usagi's chest. Anything could be happening to Misaki, right this second. He paused, listening intently. If Keiichi Sumi was attacking his Misaki, there wasn't much to indicate this. No creaking of a mattress, no soft moans or panting. Akihiko had only visited Sumi's house once before; to save Misaki from his clutches. But Sumi hadn't wanted Misaki, it was Usagi he'd desired.

Akihiko stalked through the shadows, eyes sweeping over framed family photos. Sumi aged five, skinny and sly and half-smiling. Him aged thirteen, serious and skeptical. His eyes were cold and calculating. "Hello, Akihiko." Keiichi Sumi breathed over his idol's shoulder. The author turned - the man had grown since their last meeting, towering over Akihiko with a satisfied smirk on his pale face. "Misaki get tired of you?" He questioned, placing a hand on the side of Usagi's face.

A Summer Rain lay open on his desk on the title page. 'Usami Akihiko is the esteemed winner of the Shukima Literary Prize for his novel 'Fallen Meadow'. Usami is critically acclaimed as the voice of his generation. His newest novel, A Summer Rain, has been a global bestseller since its publication in July of 2018."

Keiichi chuckled darkly, flicking lazily through the novel. "As pretentious as ever, Akihiko." He said reprovingly, closing the book with a snap. The house felt eerily quiet as he returned it to the bookshelf. Every title Akihiko had ever written lived there, all immaculate, in perfect condition. As though Sumi Keiichi hadn't rifled through their pages night after night, searching for an answer.

"I don't write for you." Akihiko retorted, eyes still scanning the room. Had Misaki been here? Keiichi laughed again, running a forefinger down the spine of Ocean Essence - Usami Akihiko's debut novel. "No. I suppose you don't." He murmured, his gaze fixed beyond the dozen or so books. "Enough bullshit. You know why I'm here." Akihiko snapped, dragging him across the room by his collar. Pinned against the wall, Keiichi grinned, heart pounding under his cool exterior. "I always dreamed it would happen like this." He confessed feverishly.

The blow came like the call, fast and unexpected, bringing with it an untold string of consequences. Keiichi recoiled, visibly shocked. He slumped to the floor, unable to face the man he'd loved for so long. "The last time I saw Misaki was three months ago. He admitted his love." Keiichi spat, fingers tracing the throbbing pain where a black eye bloomed over his skin. "He claimed to love you more than I do." The now trembling boy snarled, a wildfire flickering in his brown eyes. "You think he'd take this from you?!" Keiichi screamed, tears trickling from the burning embers of his eyes. "Has he read your every word? Watched interview after interview? Written you letter after letter?" He howled, slamming his head back against the wall.

"Being a fan... you may as well have Stockholm Syndrome." Usagi muttered, turning to leave. Behind him, Keiichi drew himself up. "So be it." He hissed, shaking with fury.


End file.
